Veronica plant named &#39;Joca128&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Veronica , ‘Joca128’, that is characterized by its dwarf plant habit, its large inflorescences of white flowers, and its floriferous blooming habit with numerous flowering stems and numerous flowers per flowering stem.

Botanical classification: Veronica spicata.

Variety denomination: ‘Joca 12.8’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaspicata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Joca128’. ‘Joca128’ represents a new herbaceous perennial grown forlandscape use.

‘Joca128’ arose from seed collected in autumn of 2009 from an openpollinated plant of Veronica spicata ‘Ulster Blue Dwarf’ (not patented)as the female seed parent. The seeds was sown in 2010 and ‘Joca128’ wasselected in autumn of 2011 as a single unique plant amongst theresulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bysoftwood cuttings by the Inventor in winter of 2011 in Roskoop, TheNetherlands. Asexual propagation by vegetative cuttings has determinedthat the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Joca128’ as a unique cultivar of Veronica.

-   -   1. ‘Joca128’ exhibits a dwarf plant habit.    -   2. ‘Joca128’ exhibits large inflorescences of white flowers.    -   3. ‘Joca128’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit with numerous        flowering stems and numerous flowers per flowering stem.

The parent plant of ‘Joca128’, ‘Ulster Blue Dwarf’, differs from‘Joca128’ in having flowers that are blue in color. ‘Joca128’ can bemost closely compared to the Veronica spicata cultivars ‘Verswhite’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,784) and ‘Icicle’ (not patented). ‘Verswhite’ issimilar to ‘Joca128’ in having an uptight dwarf plant habit and havingflowers that are white in color. ‘Verswhite’ differs from ‘Joca128’ inhaving smaller leaves and in having fewer flowers per flowering stem.‘Icicle’ is similar to ‘Joca128’ in having white colored flowers, butdiffers most significantly from ‘Joca128’ in having a larger, non-dwarfplant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Veronica. The photographs weretaken of a one year-old plant of ‘Joca128’ as field grown in Haarlem,The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘Joca128’ inbloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘Joca128’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Joca128’. The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from thecolor values cited in the detailed botanical description, whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Veronica.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedfor a plant about one year in age as grown outdoors in 19-cm containersin Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plants were grown under average daytemperatures of 16° to 30° C. and average night temperatures of 5° to20° C. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with the 2007 RHS Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—From mid-summer to autumn.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Broad upright.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 28.9 cm in height and 24 cm in            spread.        -   Hardiness.—At least hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.        -   Diseases.—Not more susceptible to pests and diseases than            other Veronica varieties.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—About 2 weeks to initiate roots from a            cutting and about 6 weeks to finish a young plant.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem quantity.—Average of 11 main stems each with an average            of 2 lateral branches.        -   Stem color.—144A.        -   Stem size.—Average of 2 cm in diameter and 10.5 cm            (excluding peduncle) in length, internode is 2.3 cm in            length.        -   Stem surface.—Glossy.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Held at an average angle of 30° to main stem.        -   Branching habit.—Free branching from the base with lateral            branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf shape.—Narrow ovate and slightly carinate.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 4.5 cm in length and 1.6 cm in            width.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 10 per branch.        -   Leaf base.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf margin.—Finely serrate with an average of 4.5 teeth per            cm.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface 146D in color, lower            surface 138B in color.        -   Leaf surface texture.—Upper surface moderately glossy, lower            surface slightly glossy.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A to 143B, young lower            surface; 138A to 138B, mature upper surface; N137A to N137B,            mature lower surface; between 137C and 147B.        -   Petiole.—Carinate in shape, average of 7 mm in length and an            average of 2.5 mm in width and 2 mm in height, upper side            color is 144A, lower side color is 144B, surface texture            glabrous.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal and axillary racemes of            rotate-shaped flowers.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Individual flowers up to 7            days, blooms open from bottom of raceme towards apex.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 12.3 cm in length and 1.6 cm            in diameter.        -   Flower type.—Outward and campanulate in shape.        -   Flower number.—Average of 240 per compound inflorescence,            average of 5,000 flowers and buds per plant.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower buds.—Ovate in shape, about 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm            in diameter, color is NN155D.        -   Flower size.—About 4 mm in depth and 5 mm in diameter.        -   Peduncles.—11.9 cm in length, 1.8 mm in diameter, held            straight on top of stems, strong, 143B in color, surface            texture is glabrous.        -   Pedicels.—None, individual flowers sessile.        -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, an average of 2 mm in length and 2.5            mm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—4, rotate, narrow ovate in shape, base is obtuse,            matte and glabrous surfaces, entire margins sparsely covered            with pubescence average of 0.3 mm in length and too small to            measure color, acute apex, average of 2 mm in length and 0.8            mm in width, color of immature and mature upper and lower            surfaces; 137B.        -   Petals.—4, campanulate in shape, acute apex, lower 25%            fused, mostly entire margin with one tooth on each side,            average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, both surfaces            matte and glabrous, color of upper side and lower side when            opening and fully open; NN155D, veined and marbled with 94C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 6 mm in length, stigma; clavate in            shape, 157D in color, style; 5.5 mm in length, NN155D in            color, ovary; 144A in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 2, deformed in shape, anthers; no            anthers present, only deformed filaments, filaments; 2.5 mm            in length, 145B in color, tinged N186B in color, no pollen            present.        -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production was not observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named‘Joca128’ as herein illustrated and described.